Space scientists at Aberystwyth University working on the European Space Agency/Roscosmos ExoMars mission which is due to land on Mars in 2021 have built a full size replica of the rover.

The size of a small car, the Aberystwyth ExoMars Rover will be unveiled at the Old College on Friday 29 June as part of the University’s celebration of UK Robotics Week.

Built by Stephen Fearn and Dr Matt Gunn from the Department of Physics, the Aberystwyth replica is a full-scale interactive model of the ExoMars rover that will be tasked with finding signs of life on Mars.

Made mostly from plywood, metal and drainage pipes, the Aberystwyth ExoMars Rover will include interactive activities that explain how the actual rover will drive around and take scientific images and analyse rock samples.

The rover has been built with the support of the UK space Agency and the Institute of Maths, Physics and Computer Sciences as part of their work to promote the ESA/Roscosmos mission and to inspire a new generation of space scientists.

Dr Helen Miles from the Department of Computer Science at Aberystwyth University has been instrumental in designing many of Aberystwyth’s ExoMars outreach activities.

Dr Miles has also created a virtual reality version of the ExoMars rover that is being used by scientists involved with building the mission’s actual rover.

Dr Miles said: “At Aberystwyth University, we have a passion for science and we love to talk about the exciting things we are involved with. It’s difficult to explain to people what the ExoMars rover will look like and how it will work, especially since there isn’t a complete version ready yet. To help us show everyone what we are part of, we have built a full-scale interactive model so that people will be able to learn about what the rover will see and do, and how it will explore Mars.”

The ExoMars work at Aberystwyth University is led by Dr Matt Gunn from the Department of Physics.

Dr Gunn is a member of three international instrument teams on the ExoMars mission; PanCam, a system of three scientific cameras for digital terrain mapping and is led by the Mullard Space Science Laboratory at University College London; ISEM, the mission’s infrared spectrometer that will assess mineralogy of targets and is led byRussian Academy of Science Space Research Institute; and CLUPI, a high-resolution camera designed for close-up images which is led by the Swiss based Space Exploration Institute.

The team at Aberystwyth University have built hardware for the ExoMars Rover, including a colour swatch inspired by medieval stained glass.

Designed to withstand the very high levels of ultraviolet light on Mars which causes colours to fade quickly, the swatch will be used to calibrate the mission’s camera and spectrometer systems to ensure colours are recorded accurately.

The Aberystwyth team have also been involved with field testing of prototype instruments and developing the pipeline for processing images sent back to Earth from Mars.

Dr Gunn and colleagues have been testing the mission’s camera system, PanCam, in remote desert like locations around the world, including Iceland, Utah in the USA and the Atacama Desert in South America.

Dr Gunn said: “The camera systems on this mission are highly sensitive as the scientists who work with these images will be looking for very subtle changes in colour. These images are not ordinary colour photographs; they will be used to work out the different types of rocks on Mars. It is known that some rocks form in wet environments, so accurately interpreting the images may help mission scientists to pinpoint where to look for possible signs of life.”

The Aberystwyth ExoMars model will be on view for the first time at An Evening of Space Robotics,an event to celebrate Aberystwyth University’s pioneering work in solar system physics and space robotics on Friday 29 June from 4pm until 9pm.

Featuring a presentation by Sue Horne MBE, UKSA Head of Space Exploration, tickets for the event are free and can be booked online here.

Aberystwyth Robotics Week

Hosted by the departments of Physics and Computer Science at Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth Robotics Week (25-30 June 2018)offers a host of events for budding robot engineers and space scientists of all ages and forms part of UK Robotics Week. The programme is also supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Aberystwyth Robotics Week 2018 Programme:

• Monday 25 until Friday 29 June, 10:00am–4:00pm, Old College
  Robotics Exhibition
  There will be a growing exhibition featuring the robotics and space science research, robot crafts and a selection of the competition entries.
• Monday 25 June, 1:00-3:00pm, Old College
  The Robot Olympics
  A competition for teams from local primary schools to engineer a robot to take part in a series of robotics challenges.
• Tuesday 26 and Thursday 28 June, 4:00-6:00pm, Old College
  Robot Craft
  An opportunity to craft your own robot from whatever parts you can find in our scrapheap of paper, pens, and craft supplies. Robots can be displayed as part of the exhibition. Price: £1 per robot.
• Wednesday 27 June, 4:00-9:00pm, Aberystwyth Arts Centre
  From Fiction to Reality: a special screening of sci-fi feature film Ex_Machinafollowed by a round table discussion about the latest developments in artificial intelligence and robotics. An exhibition and free pizza will be provided. Tickets available from Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
• Friday 29 June, 4:00-9:00pm, Old College
  An Evening of Space Robotics
  Researchers at Aberystwyth University have a long and distinguished involvement with space exploration. Aberystwyth scientists played a leading role in Beagle2 and feature prominently in the development of the ESA/Roscosmos ExoMars Rovermission which is due to launch in 2020. The evening will feature a presentation by Sue Horne MBE, UKSA Head of Space Exploration and the unveiling of a life size model of the ExoMars Rover for outreach. Tickets are free and can be booked online here.
• Saturday 30 June, 10:00am-4:00pm, Aberystwyth Bandstand
  Beach Lab
  The highly popular Beach Lab returns offering a day at the beach with robots and humans from the Aberystwyth Robotics Club.

Photo: Wheels of steel: Dr Helen Miles and Stephen Fearn holding the wheels of the ExoMars Rover model and Dr Matt Gunn showing the mission’s colour swatch that has been inspired by medieval stained glass.

Links:
ESA/Roscosmos ExoMars
http://exploration.esa.int/mars/

Aberystwyth Robotics Week 2018
https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/cs/outreach/uk-robotics-week/#overview

Department of Computer Science
https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/cs/

Department of Physics

https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/phys/

Intelligent Robotics at Aberystwyth University
https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/cs/research/ir/

Study Solar System Physics at Aberystwyth University
https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/phys/research/solar/

My website link –

Aberystwyth University celebrates UK Robotics Week

A Carmarthenshire conservation project has won a national award for planning excellence at an awards ceremony in London.

The Caeau Mynydd Mawr Special Area of Conservation-Supplementary Planning Guidance and Marsh Fritillary Project won in its category for ‘Excellence in planning for the Natural Environment’ at this year’s National Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Awards.

The project based in the Cross Hands Economic Growth Area, was submitted by Carmarthenshire County Council’s Planning Services, Rural Conservation Section.

Since it began in 2013 the project has been successful in mitigating the impacts of development in the Cross Hands area on the protected Marsh Fritillary butterfly and the habitat which supports it.

Funded exclusively by contributions from developers, the project is essential to the delivery of Carmarthenshire County Council’s Local Development Plan, securing sufficient habitat to support the butterfly in the area.

There are currently 24 sites in management, a total area of over 125 hectares, of which 42ha is owned by the project. The remaining area is in management agreements with other organisations and private landowners.

The project provides funding for work which improves the habitat for the butterfly such as mowing rank areas of grassland and reduction of scrub encroachment, as well as fencing and provision of water when reintroducing grazing to neglected sites. Devil’s bit scabious (the only larval food plant of the Marsh fritillary) has also been planted in several sites.

Although the focus is on improving habitat for the Marsh Fritillary butterfly, the project has much wider benefits, supporting a range of other species and providing a network of natural spaces amongst areas of development.

Speaking about the project, the judges’ said: “This is a down to earth, practical project that had substantial planning input and used innovative tools to deliver positive outcomes. Not only does it manage and create areas of suitable habitat for the protected marsh fritillary butterfly, but also enables economic development to a flourishing strategic economic growth area, providing opportunities for the wider community.”

Carmarthenshire County Council executive board member for strategic planning Cllr Mair Stephens, said: “Congratulations to the team behind the Caeau Mynydd Mawr Project for winning this national award, it’s another great achievement for the project which was also highly commended in the Wales Planning Award 2017.”

Update on Out of Hours Service in Carmarthenshire – Thursday 21 June 2018

Press release from Hywel Dda University Health Board:

We are currently experiencing a shortage of GPs to cover the Out of Hours service in Carmarthenshire overnight tonight.

Efforts are continuing until the last possible moment to fill the shifts affected.

Clinical staff will be available to make an assessment of your condition and refer you to an appropriate destination should an urgent face-to-face review be required. In the meantime, there are other services that can help you if you are unwell:

• for health information and advice, including online symptom checkers, please visit NHS Direct Wales: www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk
• call 111 – they can help to signpost you to the right service, for example a GP, nurse, pharmacist or Minor Injury Unit, they also provide health information on a wide range of conditions for self care if appropriate
• attend a minor injury unit, available at Glangwili Hospital and Prince Philip Hospital
• ONLY in an emergency for serious or life-threatening conditions should you dial 999

Joe Teape, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Operations at Hywel Dda University Health Board said: “I apologise for any concern or inconvenience caused to Carmarthenshire residents. Unfortunately we continue to experience GP shortages at this time and we appreciate the efforts our staff, GPs and partners from across the Hywel Dda area are making to ensure we can provide safe services for our patients.”

Latest news from the team at Brecon Jazz Club –

BRECON JAZZ CLUB on TUES 10 JULY starts at 7.15pm is a SHOWCASE event, presenting rising stars from this year’s graduates of the ‘Jazz Performances’ course of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff.

These are some very outstanding jazz musicians indeed and we are presenting three line-ups, consisting of two quintets and one quartet:

Josh Heaton’s ‘Mouth of Words’ Quintet
Rachel Head alto sax
Kumar Chopra guitar
Josh Heaton tenor sax
Mateus Prado double & electric bass
Zach Breskal drums

Skeleton Leaf
A quartet led by Eddie Jones West
featuring Dave Bush (tenor sax)
Ben Manning (double bass)
Frazer McIntosh (keys)
Eddie Jones West (drums)

Norman Willmore Quintet
Norman Willmore (alto sax)
Tom Newitt (tenor sax)
Frazer McIntosh (keys)
Ben Manning (double bass)
Zach Breskal (drums)

NB: pre jazz supper at the Gurkha Corner from 5.30pm on – please book your place and state chicken, lamb or vege curry (£10 per person) to:  info@breconjazzclub.org

Many of you will recall the outstanding performances (reviewed favourably by Ian Mann in www.thejazzmann.com) of young tenor sax player Tom Newitt (see band 3 above) and drummer Zach Breskal, at Brecon Jazz in the Muse last year. Mateus Prado (band 1 above) has also performed at both the Jazz Club and our Festival (bassist for Atsuko Shimada) – so we hope you will all turn out to support these young rising stars. They are really looking forward to coming along to perform for us.

We’ve created a special early start of 7.15pm to encompass three performance sets and two breaks (still time for drinks and crisps!) and a special entry price of £8 for members and £10 for visitors and non-members!

We are very grateful indeed for the support of the ACW NIGHT OUT / NOSON ALLAN team who are providing financial support to be able to pay three bands for the July Brecon Jazz Club.

And a big thank you to musician Tom Newitt who has worked with us to bring it all together.  We’ll see you then.

Watch out for our next email with news of the Festival full concerts lineup, prices and deals. See website now (click on the box BJF2018 Programme)  www.breconjazz.org

Until then, mark the date – Tues 10 July – a special to welcome a ‘new generation’ of solid jazz talent, made in Wales.

Best wishes to all
Lynne, Roger and BJC team

Big changes are on the horizon for Llanelli’s Tyisha ward, and the community is being placed firmly in the driving seat.

Carmarthenshire County Council, working in partnership with a number of key organisations, is undertaking a huge community engagement programme to gain views and ideas ahead of the development of a regeneration plan for the area.

It means residents, tenants and businesses will have real opportunity to help plan for changes and improvements that will affect their future.

Cllr Cefin Campbell, executive board member for communities, and Cllr Linda Evans, executive board member for housing, are leading the engagement programme saying they want everyone in Tyisha to bring ideas and opinions on what matters to them.

The council has brought community engagement specialists on board and a programme of consultation activities will be held during the summer, aimed at reaching everyone who lives and works in the area.

Local school children will be making a 3D model of Tyisha, and the community will be invited to events to gather views and show where they want change to happen.

Local councillors and the AM and MP for Llanelli are being involved from the outset.

Cllr Campbell said: “We know that Tyisha has its problems, but we also recognise that it has a fantastic community spirit. People really want to see the area improve and we want people to be part of the change. There is real potential to do something and we’re excited about what lays ahead.”

All the views, opinions and ideas gathered from the community will feed in to a regeneration masterplan which will be developed early 2019.

Whilst representing socio-economic and environmental challenges, Tyisha is seen as an area of strategic importance, lying between Llanelli town centre and the proposed Life Science and Wellness Village at Delta Lakes.

It has the highest population density in Carmarthenshire, and over a quarter of housing is social rented, in low demand and difficult to let. There is also a high proportion of flats and maisonettes which no longer meet the needs of the community.

These are amongst the issues that need to be addressed.

Cllr Evans said: “With the Llanelli Life Science and Well-being Village being developed right on the doorstep of the Tyisha we want to ensure that the wider community benefits from such a significant development. We are all coming from common ground – we want the area to improve. We really hope that residents, tenants and businesses will take this opportunity with both hands and work with us all, the council and our partners, to ensure future investment and development is what the community needs and wants.”

Joining the council for the engagement programme are Dyfed Powys Police, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Llanelli Town Council, Pobl, and Ysgol Pen Rhos, amongst others.

Local officers and community representatives will be leading the engagement and will be attending a variety of community events, locations and projects during July and August.

This engagement model is being piloted in the Tyisha ward and if successful will be further developed and replicated in other communities across Carmarthenshire.

Further information will be made available to the Tyisha community in the coming weeks.